Container and method of making the same from foil



2, 1938. P. SCHLUMBOHM 2,125,620

CONTAINER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME FROM FOIL Filed Oct. 19, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l \NVEN'YI'OR PETER SCHLUMBQHM 2 ATTORNEYS Aug. 2, 1938. I SCHLUMBOHM 2,125,620

CONTAINER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME FROM-FOIL INVENTOR PETER SCHLUMBOHM ATTO RNEYS Pae la! Aug. 2, i938 I i 2,125,620, I

CONTAINER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME FROM FOIL Peterschlumbohm, New York, N. Y.

Application October 19, 1935, Serial No. 45,131

In Germany April 2 16 Claims. (size-14am This invention relates to anair and water-tight package, the walls or which are composed of foils,

and to a method of making the same, more par ticularly, the invention concerns an air and water-tight metal foil package made of aluminum Whereas organic foils, e. g. acetylcellulose foils,

can be glued together and can thus make an airtight wrapping, this method cannot be applied to metal foils;- as it would be extremely diiiicult to join the edges of two aluminum foils by soldering them together. There is at present no way of makinga really air-tight package of aluminum foils.

l6 The new foil package. of metaljoils, and especially of aluminum foils, created by the present invention, is air and water-tight and opens a new field for the appliance of metal foils and especially of aluminum foils. I 0 In comparing the new package with the ordinary can container made from sheet metal, and

with a pure ioil wrapping, one might classify the new package as a semi-stiff package in contrast to a still can container or an unstifl! foil wrapping.

'25 The semi-stiff character of the new package is created by combining unstl'fl foils with a stiii, special body, which has one main feature: one or more grooves.

A principalieature 01 this invention consists 30 in joining the edges of two metal foils by means of such a rigid grooved body. The invention is i illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figs. lto 11 show examples of containers made in accordance with the invention.

' 35 Fig. l and Fig. 2 illustrate a metal foil package which contains a pad or wad. impregnated with liquid. a l 1 Fig. 3 is an enlargement-of part of Fig. 2.

. Fig. 4 illustrates a metal foil packing for a siny "40 gle cigar, or goods of similar shape.

Fig.7'5 illustrates a tubular container made from metal foil. a

Fig. 6 illustrates a foil package comprising several separated compartments, A, B, C. 45 Fig. 7 illustrates a metal foil package with two separated compartments, Ejand D. Fig. 8 ,illustrates another form of metal foil package containing a liquid. Figs. 9 to 11 illustrate the details ,0! a hermetic ioilcontainer for one groove, for the purpose ofjoining several foils 50 cigarettes.

The metal foil packages illustrated in Figs. 1'51 and 2, are adapted particularly for packing moist materials, e. g. a moist cotton pad 4 between two metal foils l and 55 In Fig. l and in Fig. 2, the two metalfoils I two caps which fit over. the ring 3.

and 2 are joined together at their edges by means of the groove 3a of a rigid annular body 3. The stiff body 3 may be an aluminum ring, e. g. of one millimeter thickness, spun from sheet metal, or made by any other technical process. The two models as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, illustrate different ways of joining the edges in the groove of the stifl ring. In Fig. 1, contrary to Fig. 2, the ring is not as broad as the height of the package. The edges 01 the foils l and 2 are bound around the border of the ring, not necessarily overlapping each other, and by means of a string 5 and an additional layer 641 of varnish, wax or the like, a complete, tight closure is obtained.

In the embodiment as illustrated in Fig. 2, the 15 two metal foils l and 2 are applied in the form of The edges of the cap foil l having been pressed into the groove 3a of the ring 3, and the moist cotton pad 4 having been, filled in and placed inside the ring 3, the second metal foil cap 2 is placed over the ring 3 and its edges are also pressed into the groove 3a, where they overlap the'edges of the .1011 cap' I. The foil cap 2 may be equipped with a tongue 20. by tearing of which the foil 2 is destroyed for the purpose of opening the package.

In Fig. 4, the two metal foil caps 6 and 1 are deep enough to correspond to about half of the total length of a cigar and the embodiment il lustrated in Fig. 4 shows that in combination with the rigid ring 3 andits grooves 8 and 9, the two metal foil caps 6 and '1 can be sealed together to form an air-tight container for the cigar, which can be opened by tearing the tongue la.

In Fig.5 I illustrate the construction of a can e. g. for containing beer, made from aluminum foil. The aluminum foil I0 is made in the form of a deeply punched tubular container, which shall hold the liquid IS. The edges of the foil III are joined hermeticallytogether with the edges 40 of the foil cap l2 in the groove 30. of the rigid ring 3. The container may be opened by tearing a tongue [20. for destroying the foil l2. If re-, quired, also the other end of the tubular container l0 may be joined with the (edges of a metal foil cap II with tongue Ila by means of the grooved ring 3.

The embodiment illustrated in Fig. 6 combines one ring 3 with two grooves, and one ring 3 with together and obtaining a package in which three separate packing compartments, A, B and C', are created by means of the four foils, i3, H, l5 and I6. Foil ll with tongue Ha, is fixed in the one groove of the rigid rin 3. 'I'he other groove of ring 3 joins the foil l3 and the foil it, with would be by a 90 edge tongue lbs. The metal foil cap i on the other hand contains another ring t .a groove of which the foil H3, equipped with tongue iiic, is fixed. It is obvious that compartment C can be opened by tearing tongue iGa, compartment by tearing tongue l5a and compartment A by tearing tongue Ma. It is further obvious that addi tional compartments might be created if the foil 16 should contain an inside ring as illustrated for compartment B, etc.

Fig. '7 shows an embodiment in whicl'i the rigid grooved body has a partitioned wall ll which together with metal foil i forms compartment D and which, together with metal foil forms the compartment E. Metal foil 9 is fixed in the groove ii and equipped with metal tongue la; metal foil cap 2 is equipped with metal tongue 2a and fixed in the g oove The advantage of having two separate compartments ixes it possible to store within one toil package one liquid or moist packing goods 4 and one dry packing goods is. v

The embodiment illustrated in l dd be especially suitable as a prophylactic hygienic equipment.

The embodiment illustrated in Fig. 8 shows the possibility of avoiding direct contact between. the content of the foil package and the rigid ring The metal foil cap 2 has a diameter which corresponds only to the inside diameter of the grooved ring 3. The border of the can then folded backwards over the outside on see of the grooved ring 3 and is fixed in its groove to. After the liquid i9 has been filled in, a. metal foil cap 8 is shoved over the ring and the edges of the foil cap are also squeezed into the groove tic, overlapping the edges of foil 2. By means of a tongue la the foil I may be torn for opening the container.

It is obvious that the inside wall the rigid ring 3 mechanically supports the foil wall it in a very convenient manner. a

Fig. 3 is an enlargement oi a part of Fig. 2 and has been enlarged for the purpose of showing one important constructional feature: the stiff grooved ring 3 preferably has edges which form an angle of about 45 with tl ""ide wail of the ring instead of having a s U It has been found that this com ional feature adds much to the creation of a tight closure. Besides, the metal foil caps are not ut, hey

cap l, 2 to the ring 3 and r pres The practical result obtained by the invention is an airand water-tight container metal foil. It has been found embodimerit illustrated in Fig. 2 is even keep ing such volatile liquids as pure alcohol, without any tightening substance being required in addition to the foils i and 2 tr I have found aluminum foil t meter most suitable for metal foil containers in which no inside pressure is foreseen, and aluminum foil 01 0.15 millimeter to 0.2 mil. met in which an inside pressure is e beer and sparkling beverages.

present invention, such aluminum which would be bent down when placed over ring 3, forming many folds, but should be preformed in the form of a cap. This cap may be punched from aluminum foil in such a. way that the edges of the foil are bent over to form the cylindrical walls of the cap, the inside diameter of this cylinder being only slightly larger than the outside diameter of the ring 3. The length of the cylindrical walls of the foil -cap corresponds to the breadth of the ring 3.

When making the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, I prefer to apply two metal caps i and 2 which difier slightly in the diameters of their cylindrical parts. It is obvious from Fig. 3 that the metal cap 2 should have a wider diameter than the metal cap i, and if foils of 0.1 mm. are applied, the diameter of metal cap 2 should be 0.2 mmpgreater than the diameter of metal foil cap I. As a general rule, the diameter of the outside cap should be that amount wider which corresponds to twice the thickness of the foil applied.

,After the metal caps i and 2 have been shoved over the ring 3, the sealing is efiected by squeezing parts of the cylindrical walls of the metal caps into the groove 3a. This can be effected by known means, e. g., by a thick rubber ring which is placed around the container and upon which pressure is applied. The part of the rubber in giving way to that pressure, then squeezes the metal foils into the groove 3a.

In pz'eiorming the metal foils, a great variety is possible as. far as shape is concerned, and the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, give an idea of this possible variety. Of special interest 15 an embodiment which is not illustrated in the drawings, but which can easily be visualized on the basis of Fig. 4: a container made from two metal foils which have been preformed in the form of hemispherical shells. If these two hemisphere sliells joined by means of a rigid ring in the way the caps 6 and l are joined, in Fig. 4, the container has the appearance of a ball. embodiment is of special value (for well kilo-gm physical reasons) for the purpose of sustaining great inside pressure.

Not only may the shape of the metal foil caps be varied greatly in connection with a. round rigid grooved body, but also this rigid grooved body may have other forms than those of a round ring. By way of example, in Figs. 9 to 11, a rectangular package for cigarettes is shown.

Fig. 9 shows the three components of the container, the rectangular foil cap i, the rectangular toil cap 2, with tongue 2a and, the rectangular grooved, rigid body 3 with a groove 3a. The dimensions of the foil cap 2 are slightly wider than the dimensions of the foil cap i, which has been explained above. After having shoved the foil cap i over the rigid body 3, and after having izlled in the packing goods, foil cap 2 is shoved over foil cap I and the edges of both caps are squeezed into the groove 3a of the rigid body 3 as illustrated in Fig. 10, which is in analogy of Fig. 3.

Fig. 11 illustrates the complete container filled with the packing goods 4, in this case cigarettes, the container being shown partly opened.

However, such rectangular forms are not ideal for the purpose of the present invention and I prefer round or at least oval forms for the rigid body 3 in order to assure a tight seal at the entire circumference of the groove 3a.

In carrying out the invention, I can use equipment which has been developed for other purataacso poses in the industry, especially machines for closing bottles by meansof metal caps would be suitable with slight alterations for the new purpose of making containers from metal foil. As those machines of the bottling industry are highly developed automatic machines, e. g. capable of stamping metal caps from foil ribbon with a capacity of 6,000 per hour, I can benefit from the economy of those mass production machines in turning out the new foil containers in mass production at very low cost. On the other hand. I am opening a new field for the manufacturers or bottling machines by the new possibility of making containers out of metal foil caps by means of their machines.

One especially practical alteration of such rnctal cap stamping automats I might mention.

These automats stamp metal foil caps from alubody 3 in analogy metal caps are of course minuxn foil ribbon and are built as double stamping machines, meaning that with one punch two metal foil caps are stamped out of the ribbon.

For the purpose of the bottling industry, these. fully identical in their dimensions (their dimensions are limited to the dimensions of the bottle necks). Each of them is equipped with a tongue for tearing the metal foil cap later on. For the new purpose of making a metal foil container, e. g. as illustrated in Fig. 2, it would be economical tolet the double press machine stamp out with one punch one metal cap i without a tongue, and one metal cap 2 with a tongue 2a and to provide, as mentioned above, a wider diameter for the metal cap 2 than for metal cap I (the difference of the two diameters being twice the thickness of the metal foil). Each pair of such metal caps could then, in combination with the rigid grooved ring 3 form the metal foil container.

It is obvious that in special cases of conditions, high inside pressure, e. g., 1 could complete my metal foil container by a layer of cork between the foil cap and the rigid grooved to the cork plate which is used in the bottling industry inside of the metal cap. However, for the majority of the appliances of the new containers, these additional means of creating an hermetic sealwill not be required.

In choosing the material for the rigid body 8,

extreme I am not limited to aluminum. Pressed glass and other materials also could be used.

Having now described the nature of my invention, and disclosed by manners in which it is to be What I claim is:

l. The method of making an air and watertight container from metal foil, by joining a rigid, grooved ring and two aluminum foil caps, the edges of which have cylindrical shape and the diameter of which corresponds to the diameter of the rigid, grooved ring, which comprises placing said caps of the ring and caps into a groove of joint.

2. The method of making an air and water tight container from metal foil which comprises forming the foil which forms a. wall of the container over an exteriorly grooved peripheral rigid frame which is capable of resisting foil deforming pressures and which becomes a part performed,

deforming the margins of the of the finished container, deforming the foil over a peripheral edge of the frame to form an air and water tight seal and further deforming the foil into an exterior groove to lock the parts to gether.

way of example, various respectively over opposite sides the ring to provide a sealed and holding the same with; said frame being 3. The method of making an air and water tight container from metal fall which comprises shaping two metal foil sheets which form the container walls from opposite sides over a sustaining peripherally grooved rigid frame capable of resisting all of the operating pressures and deforming portions of the foil of both sheets into a common groove in the frame to lock and seal the parts together.

4. The method of making an air, and water tight container comprising metal foil which includes forming the foil which forms a wall of the container over a rigid peripheral frame which is capable of resisting foil deforming pressures and which becomes a part of the finished container, and deforming the foil over a peripheral edge of the frame to form a securing connection.

5. The method of making an air and water tight container from metal foil which comprises applying two metal foil cup-shaped elements over a grooved peripheral frame capable of resisting foil deforming pressures and deforming the foil of both elements into one groove of said relaticn to secure the foil ing of said members and, together with the foil sealed thereto, imparting sufllcient rigidity to the container.

'I. A container as defined in claim 6 characterized by the provision of a tearing from one edge of the metal foil.

8. A multiple compartment water and air tight container having separable sections, comprising a plurality of peripheral frames having exterior peripheral grooves and a plurality of cup-shaped said frames metal foil members telescoping over together, portions of said foil members being deformed into said grooves to form sealing and securing joints, the frames being capable of resisting the pressures of the deforming of the foil members and, together with the foil sealed thereto, imparting sufiicient rigidity to the container. v

9. An air and water tight container comprising a rigid peripheral frame bevelled exterlorly to provide obtuse angled outwardly ing edges and having a central peripheral groove, a pair of cup-shaped metal foil members teledei'ormed into said groove and thereby secured to said frame, said foil members forming seals with said obtuse angled edges and said frame being capable of resisting the pressure of deforming said foil members.

tab projecting presented sealscoped over said frame from opposite ends and} 10. An air and water tight container comprising a rigid frameand a wall of metal foil including a portion telescoped over said frame and deformed inwardly over a peripheral edge thereof to form a seal and a securing connection therecapable of resisting'the pgessure necessary to deform the foil over the e ge.

11. An air and water tight container comprising a peripheral frame presenting an obtuse angled peripheral edge and a wall of metal foil including a portion telescoped over said frame and forming a ml with said edge and deformed over another peripheral edge of said frame to secure the frame and foil together, the frame being capable of resisting the pressure of the deforming of said foil.

12. The method of making an air and water tight container from metal foil which comprises spanning pieces of foil which forms walls of the container over a grooved frame-like rigid body and pressing and deforming the foil overlying grooved portions of said body into the groove so as to adapt the deformed foil to the shape of the groove and thereby to seal and secure the foil to said body and render the container sufficiently rigid for use.

13. The method of making a container from pliable semi-rigid foil which comprises forming a hollow body of the foil, spanning walls of said body over a rigid grooved frame, pressing foil overlying grooved portions of the frame into the groove and deforming the foil to adapt it to the shape of the groove so as to fit the foil tightly over edges of said frame and to form a sealed connection between the foil and frame which renders the container sufllciently rigid for use.

' 14. A container comprising a tubular wall of metal foil and a pair of rigid tubular frame memabers capable of resisting foil deforming pressures,

said.

one inside of said wall adjacent each end thereof, each of said frame members including a peripheral outwardly facing groove, foil adjacent the groove in each member being deformed into the groove and adapted to the shape thereof whereby to provide a seal and secure connection between said wall and said frame members.

15. A container comprising a tubular wall of metal foil and a pair of rigid tubular frame members capable of resisting foil deforming pressures, one inside of said wall adjacent each end thereof, each of said frame members including a peripheral outwardly facing groove, foil adjacent the groove in each member being deformed into the groove, and adapted to the shape thereof whereby to provide a seal and secure connection between said wall and said frame members and a metal foil cap fitted over an end portion of said wall and over the corresponding frame member and including foil deformed into a peripheral groove in the corresponding frame member as afore- 1s. A container as defined in claim 15, said cap having a tearing tab projecting from one edge thereof.

' PETER SCHLUMBOHM. 

